Steven St. Croix (born Ben Banks;<ref name="BI">Template:Cite web</ref> February 24, 1968) is an American pornographic actor and director.<ref name=CBSNews>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2013, he received a NightMoves Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref name=NM2013/> St. Croix has made several mainstream appearances, including a music video for Gloria Estefan and the 2004 film The Girl Next Door.<ref name=BI/>
St. Croix was born in Connecticut.<ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/> Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, he grew up in a "very religious, strict" household.<ref name=HotMovies>Template:Cite web</ref> At 18, he had his first sexual experience.<ref name=HotMovies/> St. Croix attended vocational school to become a mason.<ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/> He also worked in telemarketing and adult video sales prior to his porn career.<ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/>
St. Croix entered the adult film industry as a production assistant in December 1992.<ref name=BI/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> While working on the film Deep Throat 6, he performed in his first scene after an actor failed to show up.<ref name=BI/><ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/> In 1995, St. Croix became the first male performer to sign an exclusive contract with Los Angeles–based studio Vivid Entertainment.<ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/>
St. Croix first left the industry in the late 1990s to pursue mainstream acting.<ref name=AVN2015>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=Lust>Template:Cite book</ref> During this time, he took classes under an acting coach and learned improv from the comedy troupe Groundlings.<ref name=AVN2015/> He also body doubled for Brian Bosworth, was an extra on Baywatch, and danced in music videos for Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada.<ref name=SanFranciscoChronicle/> After struggling to pay his bills, he returned to acting in pornographic films.<ref name=Lust/>
In 2005, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> St. Croix left the adult film industry again in late 2010, only to return in early 2012.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In February 2013, he published an e-book titled Porn Star: Everything You Want to Know and Are Embarrassed to Ask.<ref name=EBOOKandARTGALLERY>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Advocacy
St. Croix has spoken out against Measure B, a law that requires the use of condoms in all vaginal and anal scenes filmed in Los Angeles County.<ref name=AVNMeasureB>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=IBT>Template:Cite news</ref> He urged his fans to spread his NoToMeasureB public service announcements on social media on October 16, 2012.<ref name=AVNMeasureB/> Later that month, he received the Positive Image Award from the Free Speech Coalition for his work to "dispel the myths and misconceptions of the adult entertainment industry."<ref name=FSC/> In April 2013, St. Croix appeared alongside former pornographic actor Danny Wylde on a HuffPost Live panel to debate Measure B.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
While away from the adult film industry, St. Croix lived in Cannes, France, and ran a small art gallery.<ref name=EBOOKandARTGALLERY/> He is an avid painter, primarily creating large-format acrylics. His work is heavily inspired by the expressionist movement. St. Croix describes his political views as "Libertarian with Republican business leanings."<ref name=HotMovies/>
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